The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-21
THE STRIKE OF TBE CAR.DRTvEPs

THE STRIKE OF THE GARDENERS
The street-car drivers are entitled to public
sympathy but will that do them any goodg
( The street, railway company is entitled to
none at all, but will that prevent them from
overcoming the striker Sympathy is one
thing and cold facts another. The entire COM
munity would like to see the strikers succeed
but the feelings of the community will not
figure much in the case. The strike must be
regarded from business standpoint 1t was
brought about by the enforcement of the
ordinance requiring the drivers to call the
streets. This was an attempt by the Council
to atone for its lenient treatment of the COM
pany by putting new duties on the drivers
in other words, requiring them to perform the
duties of conductors instead of requiring the
company to put conductors on the cars. The
drivers have all they can do to manage their
teams, look out for passengers, make change
and guard against accidents. The added duty
of calling the streets is too much. It is evident
also, from the drivers statement that they are
subjected to species of petty prosecutions and
exactions in regard to the purchase of their
outfit which even soulless corporation ought
to be ashamed of. The drivers are worked
pretty hard and everybody would be glad to
see them receive more pay if the company
would give it, but there is the rub. If the
company cannot or will not increase their pay,
and if it can easily fill all the places with new
men at the old wages what is to be done about
it. The demand of the drivers is essentially
just, but hardly strong enough to make a
fight upon.
So far as the Journal is concernedit regards
a strike as of doubtful utility in remedying
the wrongs of workingmen, but it has had no
hesitation in saying that men have right to
protest in this way against imposition, so long
as they confine themselves to peaceable meth
DDS. The street-car-d drivers have grievance,
and serious one, against their employers.
Without entering into discussion as to the
proper wages to be paid to drivers, it is enough
to say that what they have been receiving is
hardly sufficient to cover double duty. Four
teen cents an hour may be fair rate of COM
pensation for driver who has nothing to do
but watch his mules and guard against COLI
sions; but when, in addition to this work, he
acts as conductor, looks out for passengers,
sees that fares are paid, makes change calls
out the streets and keeps eye on the ire
pressible boys who hang on the rear STEP the
reasonable to the average comprehension. 1t
is certainly skilled labor which performs all
these duties successfully. It is too
much to expect that the picayunish
the City Council will, by volun tarily placing
conductors on the cars at once Tighten the
burden of the drivers and accommodate the
public. to say nothing of complying with its
own charter by so doing; but this reform is
looming in the near distance. The drivers,
forced by necessity, may go back to work on
the old terms, but the patrons of the lines
in no complacent mood. They have awak-
ened to the fact that they pay high rate of
fare for inferior accommodations, and are no
longer inclined to accept the situation quiet
ly A combination of forces by few regular
patrons of any one of these lines would be far
more productive Of good results than any
action of the drivers. A speedy employment
of conductors would follow an organized. oppo-
siton to the placing of fares in the boxes, and
the citizens who shall secure this improve
ment will receive the grateful thanks of the
public and of the railway employees.